Smoke-stack fob locomotive-engine houses



H. CLAYTON.

Fluos for Locomotive Houses.

No. 23,825. Patented May a, 1859.

71/35 nwsaaf HE srnns PATENT OFFICE.

SMOKE-STACK FOR LOCOMOTIVE-ENGINE HOUSES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 23,825, dated May 3, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, H. CLAYTON, of Tamaqua, in the county of Schuylkilland State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Arrangementof Stacks or Flues for Carrying Off the Smoke from Locomotives inLocomotive-Houses; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theannexed drawmgs, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1is a view of a locomotive house, partly in section, with my inventionapplied to it. Fig. 2 isa detached and enlarged sectional view of aportion of the stack or flue.

Similar letters of reference denote like parts in both figures.

To enable others to fully understand and construct my invention, I willproceed to describe it.

A, represents a locomotive house which may be of usual construction, andB '18 a cupola having slatted windows or openings to allow the escape ofsmoke and still keep out the storm.

C, is a vertical smoke pipe or stack, the upper end of which enters thecupola B, and the lower end of which extends down within the building asuitable distance, and has a series of flues D, communicating with it,said flues being somewhat inclined and having each a short vertical tubea, attached, about equal in diameter or a little larger than the flues.In each tube a, is fitted a sliding tube 1), and these latter tubes areprovided at their lower ends wit-h funnel-shaped caps c, as shownclearly in both figures, and to the upper end of each tube 6, a rope d,is attached; said ropes passing over pulleys c, and having counterpoisesf, at their lower ends. The flues D, are so arranged that each tube 5,will be in line with the smoke pipe of a locomotive when the latter iswithin the house and occupies its proper place; see Fig. 1, in which alocomotive is shown in its proper location, and having its smoke-pipe inline with a cap of one of the flues. Each tube 6, has an opening 9, madein it; said openings being equal in diameter to, the flues, see Fig. 2.

The engineer previous to kindling the fire, lowers the tube 6, that isdirectly over the smoke pipe of his locomotive, and when said tube isfully lowered, its opening 9, will be in line with its flue D, so that adirect draft will be had into or through the stack O, and the smoke willbe conveyed into the cupola B. When steam is generated, and previous tothe locomotive leaving the house, the engineer or attendant shoves upthe tube 6, as shown in red in Fig. 2, so that the cap will clear thesmoke pipe of the locomotive and by-so doing the opening 9, will bethrown out of register with its flue D, and said flue is cut ofl fromthe external air. By this arrangement each flue D, it will be seen,contains a valve which is operated automatically, that is to say, theadjustment of the tube In, to and from the smoke pipe of the locomotiveactuates the valve and the smokestack C, will not at any time have anyof its flues D open below; for when any one of the valves is open itscap 0 will be over the smoke pipe of a locomotive. Therefore, any numberof locomotives may enter and leave the house, and have their fireskindled by a draft in a common stack, without injuring the draft bycommunication below with the external air; each flue D' being open asits cap 0, is adjusted to the smoke-pipe of the locomotive below it, andclosed previous to the leaving of the locomotive. The stack C, and itsflues D, and tubes a, b, are constructed of metal.

Among the advantages of my improvement are the following: The raising ofthe funnel or sliding pipe automatically closes the opening in thebranch pipe attached, whereby the heat emanating from the enginesassists to warm or heat the enginehouse; this is an important feature,as all engine-houses of circular construction or large radius haveraised domes or roofs, which are diflicult to heat and ventilate at thesame time; it is obvious that a building with 15 or 20 tracks and asmany outlets for the smoke can never be kept warmed or the engines keptfrom freezing in cold weather. l/Vith my arrangement there is virtuallyonly one opening or outlet, that of the main stack; for the moment thesliding pipe is' raised, the opening in the branch pipe is closed.Locomotives vary in height. Engines of 6 feet diameter of driving wheelsdiffer in height from engines of 4 feet diameter, consequently avariable or sliding pipe is needed. The top of the locomotive stacksalso differs in diameter; the object ofthe flaring bonnet (c) is tosecure a fit to the top of the locomotive engine-stack which it doesregardless of the diameter; it also facili- I tates the raising ofsteam, and takes up the damp smoke and steam which would otherwise rustand injure the machinery.

I do not broadly claim the invention of telescope pipes for carrying offthe gases arising from stoves, &c.; but

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent,

The arrangement and combination With 10 the smoke pipes of locomotiveengines of a sliding tube (6), flue D, and stack G, substantially as andfor the purpose herein shown and described.

HENRY CLAYTON.

Witnesses:

JOHN C. CONRAD, J r., E. I. FREY.

